The Love of Albus and Gellert
by SecretsAndLies10
Summary: Dumbledore/Grindelwald. From the beginning of their relationship to the end. Slash. No cussing/hate comments, but I'd appreciate feedback.
1. Chapter 1: The Meeting

The Meeting:

Bathilda smiled.

It was a wonderful thing that Gellert was coming to stay with her, whatever the reason. She hadn't liked Gellert going to Durmstrang, anyway, so any problems were the school's fault. It was bad for Gellert- well, bad for anyone. Bathilda was overjoyed when she received her great-nephew's owl. It would be good for Gellert as well as Albus. Poor Albus.

What a sweet boy, only eighteen and a genius! Bathilda shook her head. Albus hadn't deserved to lose his mother and father. He hid in his books, but Bathilda rather thought he was lonely. How could you not be, with friends all away, no parents, and those siblings. Ariana was frail, of course, so only more work for poor Albus! And Aberforth was pure hot-headed trouble. Bathilda didn't approve of him- Albus had always been her favorite. But Gellert and Albus, now, she was sure they would take to each other. Both such smart boys, the same age.

There was a knock on the door and Bathilda beamed. "Gellert, darling! Come in!" As she closed the door behind him, a sense of satisfaction spread through her.

Bathilda sent an owl the next day, after Gellert was slightly settled in.

Albus,

My great-nephew is going to stay with me for a while. He's eighteen as well, and I think you and him would get along marvelously. I'd like you to meet. Could you come to dinner at seven today? I'm serving lasagna, I know you enjoy that. Please come, it would do the old lady good to know you had someone your age to talk to.

Love,

Bathilda

Bathilda-

That's very sweet of you. I'll be there.

Albus

Bathilda smiled at the reply. She walked to the kitchen and waved her wand, started to prepare the lasagna. "The boy, Albus, I told you about. He'll be coming for dinner!" She called to Gellert.

"Mmhmm."

"What are you doing?"

"Reading." Bathilda shook her head. Yes, they would get along just wonderfully. She turned her attention back to the tomato sauce, sparks flying out of her wand tip.

The doorbell rang. Gellert started and tucked his book under his arm. "I'll get it!" He sighed and went to the door. He wasn't very interested in meeting this boy Aunt Bathilda kept going on about, but he prepared himself for a quiet, polite dinner and then never seeing this Albus again. Gellert turned the doorknob and was face to face with Albus.

Albus stared at the boy standing across from him. He couldn't help but notice how exceptionally handsome Bathilda's great-nephew was. Stunning blue eyes, curly blond hair, sarcastic smile.

"Um, hi. I'm, um, Albus."

"Gellert." Gellert tilted his head slightly. "Come in." Albus followed nervously as Gellert led him through to the kitchen, even though Albus had been here many times before and knew his way around. Bathilda hugged him and fussed, and they started on the dinner.

Gellert was surprised about Albus. He seemed so- well, familiar. Like himself. Albus was a reader like him, interested in power and magic like him, smart like him. Only a few minutes into the dinner, they were having a heated discussion about the Unforgivable Curses.

"But there are exceptions, yes?"

"Like what? They're called unforgivable for a reason, Gellert." Albus's face was doubtful. Gellert leaned forward.

"Power for a larger good, don't you think? One person, a curse, but wizards will benefit. Don't you think that is forgivable?"

"I don't know." Albus said, his eyes on Gellert. God, his eyes were hypnotizing. Albus shook his head. What was he thinking? "There might be exceptions."

Gellert was truly entranced by this boy. They were equals, powerful wizards. They could rule over all who were unworthy, they could be the most powerful wizards in the world. That night, as he was lying in bed, Gellert decided that he would do whatever it took.

Albus stared up at his ceiling. His mind just wouldn't budge from Gellert- his voice and smile that made Albus lightheaded. Albus was wide awake, trying and failing not to think of Bathilda's great-nephew.


	2. Chapter 2: Albus's Secret

The owl was gray.

Albus's head whipped around at the scratching on the window. He had been secretly waiting for it, for Gellert to send an owl. They sent notes back and forth anytime they weren't together, and Albus kept every single one. He had them in his desk drawer, scraps of parchment with the familiar writing- Gellert always used liberal amounts of ink and pressed too hard, so the notes were usually smudged. Albus, on the other hand, had light and slanted handwriting. Careful, just like him.

The little excited smile creeped onto his face, like it always did when he saw Silk, the owl. Albus couldn't help but wonder what Gellert's face looked like when he saw the return message. Did he look interested-or was he expectant- or maybe he smiled? An image of Gellert popped into his head, a snapshot of him from yesterday. His blue eyes were sparkling and he was teasing Albus about something he had said. Albus felt the familiar flutter in his stomach, and then guilt. It weighed on him. He needed to tell his best friend. With a lump in his throat, Albus opened the window, and relieved Silk of the note.

Albus-

I'd like to continue our earlier discussion, I think you might be onto something with the Wand. Ah, imagine us in ten years. Gellert and Albus, rulers over Muggles and Masters of Death. I shall hazard a guess that I'll see you in a few minutes. My aunt is away for the day. My door is unlocked. You know where to find me.

Gellert

You know where to find me! Albus laughed out loud. Of course he knew where to find Gellert- hadn't he memorized the route the first time he traveled it? Hadn't he clambered out the window in the middle of the night and walked to Gellert's house, sat outside for hours and watched the unmoving curtain? Hadn't he longed to be behind the plain fabric, to touch the golden, curly hair and soft skin? Albus blinked fast and sunk down to the floor, pulled his knees to his chest and buried his face in them. Oh god, why Gellert? They'd only know each other for a month! He had denied it for weeks, until he had been forced to admit it to himself in that field. That day.

That day he had spent the morning telling himself that he just really valued Gellert as a friend. His feelings had been intensifying rapidly, and he had done everything, including pretending that he liked that girl down the block whose name and face he couldn't recall. Albus had gotten a note, had walked to the field behind Gellert's house, had attempted to stifle his excitement. He could remember turning the corner and seeing Gellert lying in the grass, propped on elbows, his curly hair perfectly matching the golden field. He had that crooked smile on his face that made Albus melt. Gellert's eyes had followed Albus as he crossed the field and mirrored Gellert on the ground.

"Hey."

"Hey." Gellert's voice had been teasing and- well, sexy. Albus had tried not to think about that voice, about the curls that had flopped into Gellert's sapphire eyes, about the spark he felt when the boys' shoulders accidentally brushed. They had talked for hours, until the evening had set in. A light seemed to radiate from Gellert, and Albus was a moth fluttering hopelessly around him. Albus quieted and watched Gellert's laughing face. Something broke inside Albus, like a dam, and the flood of love broke through. There was no denying it anymore- the feelings were too strong. Albus wanted to be more than friends, much, much, much more than friends. His heart ached as he watched the boy beside him, Gellert's head thrown back and eyes shining.

Albus remembered that moment and the lump in his throat seemed to get even bigger. What if Gellert became furious- or what if he laughed at Albus? What if they stopped being friends? Albus gritted his teeth. Stop it. You need to tell him. Today. Right now. Albus took a deep, calming breath and stood. Tucked the note inside his drawer. Brushed off his knees. Slipped out the window so as to avoid Aberforth and cautiously made his way down the tree. Took another deep breath and started walking, jaw set.

I have to tell him.

Albus stood staring at the door for around twenty minutes until he worked up the courage to step inside. Gellert's house was familiar- lots of wood and a delicious smell. It was Gellert's smell- pine cones and lavender and sawdust. Albus breathed it in, savoring it. He set his first foot on the stairs, trying not to think about how he would feel when he was face-to-face with Gellert.

"I'm here!" Albus was surprised by how strong his voice sounded. He felt the opposite of that.

"Took you long enough! What did you do, get lost? Ha!" Gellert called down the stairs. "Well, hurry on up, then!"

Albus reached the top. He knew Gellert would be in his bedroom, and walked down the hallway with legs that felt like marshmallow. The door was open. And there he was. Gellert still took Albus's breath away. He was smiling, cross-legged, and his shirt was wrinkled adorably.

"Well, did you get yourself lost? I've been waiting for 'round half an hour!"

"No. I was just- just finishing my chapter." Gellert chuckled and rolled his eyes.

"You and your books! They're all you do."

"Not true. I talk to you. And plan with you." And fantasize over you. But Albus didn't say that. Gellert was still chuckling. Albus opened his mouth, then panicked. "Bathroom." He grunted and half-ran from the room. It was second nature by now, making his way around the house. Albus felt he knew every nook and cranny, every paint chip and crack on the walls, every piece of scanty decor. He knew them as well as the back of his hand- he couldn't count how many times he had taken the dirt road past the church and graveyard, down a sidestreet, turn a corner, walk for another few minutes. Albus reached the bathroom and turned the lock. He gripped the edge of the sink until his knuckles were white, staring into his own blue eyes, long nose inches from the mirror. "Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore," He addressed his reflection. "You can do this." He twirled his wand in his pocket and sighed.

With every step that took him nearer to his best friend, Albus felt terror build. His eyes were wide, his heart going three times as fast, palms and forehead damp.

"You okay?" Gellert's forehead crinkled in concern.

"I want to talk to you." The words were shaky. Albus clenched his fists and sat cross-legged on the bed across from Gellert.

"Well, spit it out." Gellert's forehead was still crinkled. The butterflies in Albus's stomach turned to dragons. He couldn't do this, couldn't do this.

"I like you," He whispered. Gellert's face didn't change. It gave Albus strength. "More- more than a friend." Gellert's eyes widened slightly. He was so close. Albus could see every eyelash, every crack in his lips. There was perhaps a quarter of a wand's length between them. Albus's breath hitched. Gellert's hands moved up slightly and touched Albus's face, and Albus felt dizzy. Gellert's hands moved down to Albus's neck, and now there was only a pinprick of space between them. Albus felt his eyes close, felt Gellert's lips on his. They were warm and soft, pressing gently against Albus's.

The kiss seemed to last an hour. At last Gellert pulled slowly away. The look on his face was intense and searching. Albus had the fleeting thought that Gellert could see his soul.


End file.
